Published: May 18, 2006 08:07 am      

Funding cut could delay destruction

Ronica Shannon
Register News Writer

RICHMOND — A proposed $40 million budget cut could delay destruction of chemical weapons stored at the Blue Grass Army Depot and the weapons storage site in Pueblo, Colo.

The funding cut would delay Kentucky's deadline for destroying all chemical weapons past the 2015 deadline recently proposed by Army officials.

The U.S. House of Representatives proposed the cut from the Pentagon's chemical demilitarization military construction budget request for fiscal year 2007. The Senate has yet to bring forth their version of the '07 Defense Bill.

Since Kentucky and Colorado are the only chemical demilitarization sites in line for construction funding, the cut impacts only these two locations.

The budget request asked for $131 million, but the House Committee is recommending $91 million. "The committee notes that there are currently sufficient funds to continue planning activities and begin construction in fiscal year 2007," as written in their report.

Last year, it was the Pentagon who proposed cutting more than $300 million for disposal projects in Colorado and Kentucky, but citizens, along with their elected officials, succeeded in getting those funds restored.

"I don't think the House Committee fully appreciates how much progress can be achieved in 2007 if adequate funds are available to expedite the projects at the two sites," said Craig Williams, director of the Chemical Weapons Working Group. “Clearly, cutting construction funds for next year will negatively impact the progress toward disposal."

Initial construction (site preparation/road building) has begun at both locations, but major efforts associated with actually building the disposal plants are slated to begin later this year.

U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler, along with Williams and U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, helped encourage officials at the Pentagon to release demilitarization funds that were frozen last year.

"It is extremely unfortunate that the committee has reduced chemical demilitarization spending at a time when the Defense Department has acknowledged that the United States is behind in meeting our treaty deadline for disposal," Chandler said referring to an April 10 memo released from Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. "We must get this program off the ground and running at the Bluegrass Army Depot. It is imperative that the funding is returned to its previous level during conference committee. I will do all I can to make sure that happens."

Although the recommended decrease by the House is small compared to last year's gutting of the disposal effort, its impact is significant as steady and consistent progress is necessary for the project to remain on schedule, Williams said.

"Ultimately, what may be seen as a short-term cost savings by the House will result in the increase in actual expenditures over the life of the project as schedules are extended," he said.

It has taken a year and a half to get the ACWA (Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternative) program back on track with the Department of Defense.

"I am frustrated that the safe, timely and responsible destruction of chemical weapons stored in Colorado and Kentucky may again be delayed due to shortsighted and misguided funding priorities, in this case by the House Appropriations Committee," said Colorado Rep. John Salazar. "It seems the appropriators in the House do not value the hard work and progress made. My hope is that we will be able to restore funding as the process moves forward in order to continue toward the destruction of chemical weapons in Colorado and Kentucky.

Ronica Shannon can be reached at rshannon@richmondregister.com or 623-1669, Ext. 234.